Update on the latest sports
APMLB-SCHEDULE
‘Field of Dreams’ game grows in Iowa cornfield
UNDATED (AP) — The diamond is built, and now they will come — José Abreu, Aaron Judge and all, to Iowa.
More than three decades after the movie “Field of Dreams” became a hit, one of the most famous cornfields in Hollywood history finally gets the opportunity to host real big league ball.
The New York Yankees play the Chicago White Sox in tiny Dyersville tonight, next to the actual site used in the 1989 movie. Kevin Costner, James Earl Jones, Ray Liotta and Amy Madigan starred in that movie — Giancarlo Stanton and Eloy Jiménez will be the stars this evening.
A crowd of about 8,000 is expected, a year after the pandemic postponed the original plans to play at the specially built field.
Also in Major League Baseball:
— Brandon Nimmo hit a three-run homer and drove in all the Mets’ runs, Marcus Stroman took a shutout into the sixth inning and New York beat the Washington Nationals 4-1 in the first game of a doubleheader. The Mets won for only the third time in 10 games, a stretch that saw them fall from first to third in the NL East. Victor Robles hit an RBI double for depleted Washington, which traded away eight players at the deadline and dropped to 5-15 in its last 20 games.
— Miguel Cabrera was out of the starting lineup for Detroit’s game at Baltimore, setting up the possibility that he’ll hit his 500th home run at home. The 38-year-old slugger hit No. 499 on Wednesday night, and after that game, manager A.J. Hinch said Cabrera absolutely would play the following day. But on Thursday, he said he had second thoughts.
— Shohei Ohtani is set to start for the Angels against Toronto, marking the first time the two-way sensation will pitch to Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. They’re the top two home run hitters in the majors this season. Ohtani has 38 homers and Guerrero has 35. Ohtani has excelled on the mound, striking out 106 in 86 innings. José Berríos starts for the Blue Jays — he’s 1-0 in two starts since being traded from Minnesota to Toronto, allowing just one run in 12 innings.
— Yu Darvish starts for the Padres in the opener of a four-game series at Arizona, which will counter with Taylor Widener. It’s a rematch of a 6-2 Padres win on Saturday night in San Diego in which neither starter got a decision. Darvish struck out 12 and allowed just two runs and four hits in seven innings.
MLB-NEWS
Cubs release Arrieta
CHICAGO (AP) — Right-hander Jake Arrieta has been released by the Chicago Cubs.
Arrieta won a Cy Young Award and helped the Cubs capture a drought-busting World Series championship in his first stint with the club. But he struggled in his second go-round. Arrieta was 5-11 with a 6.88 in 20 starts this season.
Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer says Arrieta was told he was being released on Wednesday after he got tagged for eight runs in a 10-0 loss to Milwaukee. The Cubs also placed catcher Willson Contreras on the 10-day injured list because of sprained right knee.
Elsewhere around the majors:
— Baltimore Orioles slugger Chris Davis has announced his retirement. Davis ends a career in which he became one of baseball’s most prodigious home run hitters before his production declined amid injury problems. Davis led the majors in home runs with 53 in 2013 and 47 in 2015, and the Orioles signed him to a seven-year, $161 million contract. He hit 38 homers in the first year of the deal but his numbers sank quickly after that. Davis was going to miss the entire 2021 season after surgery in May to repair the labrum in his left hip.
— The Milwaukee Brewers have reinstated All-Star closer Josh Hader from the COVID-19 reserve list. Hader joined several Brewers on the COVID-19 list on Aug. 2 after he tested positive. He entered Thursday’s game against the Chicago Cubs with 22 saves in 23 chances. The Brewers also optioned left-hander Hoby Milner to Triple-A Nashville and transferred righty John Axford, out for the remainder of the season with an elbow injury, to the 60-day injured list.
NFL-JETS-INJURIES
Jets rookie WR Moore leaves practice with quad issue
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — New York Jets rookie wide receiver Elijah Moore has a quadriceps injury and is expected to have an MRI. Coach Robert Saleh says depending on how the tests come back, Moore could miss the team’s preseason opener Saturday night against the Giants. Moore has been one of the standouts of training camp for the Jets, who drafted the former Mississippi star in the second round with the 34th overall pick. He went through 1-on-1 drills Thursday and then walked off the field with a trainer before heading inside for the day.
NHL
Rangers sign first-round pick
NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Rangers have agreed to terms with first-round draft pick Brennan Othmann on an entry-level contract. Rangers general manager Chris Drury announced the agreement with the Canadian forward without releasing details.
Othmann skated in 34 games in the Swiss League this past season, collecting seven goals and nine assists along with 64 penalty minutes. The 18-year-old also had a goal and an assist in four playoff games. The No. 16 pick overall in the recent NHL draft, Othmann played with the Flint Firebirds of the OHL during the 2019-20 season and had 17 goals and 16 assists.
Also in the NHL:
— The Winnipeg Jets have agreed to terms with forward Andrew Copp on a one-year contract. The deal is worth $3.6 million for Copp, who had 15 goals and 24 assists in 55 games for the Jets last season, adding two assists in eight playoff games.
OLYMPICS-UJAH-DOPING
British silver medalist suspended, Britain could lose medal
LONDON (AP) — British 4×100-meter relay silver medalist Chijindu Ujah has been provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit for an alleged doping violation at the Tokyo Olympics.
The AIU announced Thursday that the doping control laboratory in Tokyo had notified the International Testing Agency of an “adverse analytical finding” in Ujah’s doping sample. Ujah’s sample contained the prohibited substances ostarine and S-23, which are selective androgen receptor modulators (SARM) and help with building muscle.
Ujah was part of a British quartet who finished second to Italy in a close race. If found guilty, Ujah and the British team could be stripped of the silver medal.
BELARUS RUNNER
Belarus sprinter feels safe, looks to future in Poland
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — A Belarusian Olympic sprinter says she feels safe after finding refuge in Poland to avoid punishment at home for criticizing her team officials at the Tokyo Games.
Krystsina Tsimanouskaya now hopes to focus on how to keep up her world-class sprinting career. In an interview with The Associated Press in Warsaw, she recalls the harrowing moments when she sought police help at the Tokyo airport and the sense of instant relief after being put under protection.
The 24-year-old runner says she has already asked Polish officials to help her resume training. Tsimanouskaya and her husband, who followed her to Poland on a humanitarian visa, are looking toward a future of freedom, not just for them but for all people in Belarus.
